Afreen Mirza 
Mar 05, 2026
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday dismissed a widely circulated notification on social media regarding the non-availability of fresh currency notes for Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, terming the document "fake".
The viral statement, which has been shared across multiple platforms, claims that the central bank would not issue new banknotes this year and that the SMS service (8877) and dedicated bank counters used in previous years for distributing fresh notes would not be operational.
“The notification being shared on social media is not true,” the spokesperson said when contacted for confirmation.
Despite rejecting the document, the official confirmed that the central bank will not be issuing fresh currency notes for Eid-ul-Fitr this year.
The practice of distributing new banknotes through commercial banks and designated counters has been a long-standing tradition in Pakistan ahead of Eid, as people often exchange crisp notes to give as Eidi to children and relatives.
In previous years, the SBP facilitated the distribution of fresh notes through a dedicated SMS service and special counters set up at commercial bank branches across the country.
The central bank has not issued a formal public notification regarding the policy for this year so far.
